Digital Mimicry: A Sonically Neutral Comparison Between Guitar Amplifiers and IR-Based Emulation
Presenter Type
UNO Undergraduate Student
Major/Field of Study
Music
Other
Music: Music Technology
Advisor Information
(sethshafer@unomaha.edu) Seth Shafer
Location
SPAC105 - U
Presentation Type
Demonstration
Start Date
24-3-2023 1:00 PM
End Date
24-3-2023 2:15 PM
Abstract
In an effort to understand current technology’s ability to emulate guitar amplifiers digitally, I created emulations of several popular amplifiers from their counterparts. I used two different methods to capture emulations of the amplifiers with varying budgets and recorded an identical guitar part through each of the emulations. The first emulation method was the most cost-efficient, by playing a short pulse of white noise through the amplifiers and using a popular low-cost program I was able to gather usable emulations of the amplifiers. The second method involved a combination of software and hardware that was more cost prohibitive, using a proprietary emulation method developed by a private corporation. Additionally, I created emulations of a guitar amplifier’s speaker section to compare both processes without the amplification section’s influence on the final sound. A comparison between the authentic amplifier and the digital emulation reveals where these physical modeling methods do well and where they fall flat. The implications of this study suggest significant cost, weight, space, and energy savings when considering whether to use a guitar amplifier for recording or live performance.
Scheduling
1-2:15 p.m., 2:30 -3:45 p.m.
Digital Mimicry: A Sonically Neutral Comparison Between Guitar Amplifiers and IR-Based Emulation
SPAC105 - U
In an effort to understand current technology’s ability to emulate guitar amplifiers digitally, I created emulations of several popular amplifiers from their counterparts. I used two different methods to capture emulations of the amplifiers with varying budgets and recorded an identical guitar part through each of the emulations. The first emulation method was the most cost-efficient, by playing a short pulse of white noise through the amplifiers and using a popular low-cost program I was able to gather usable emulations of the amplifiers. The second method involved a combination of software and hardware that was more cost prohibitive, using a proprietary emulation method developed by a private corporation. Additionally, I created emulations of a guitar amplifier’s speaker section to compare both processes without the amplification section’s influence on the final sound. A comparison between the authentic amplifier and the digital emulation reveals where these physical modeling methods do well and where they fall flat. The implications of this study suggest significant cost, weight, space, and energy savings when considering whether to use a guitar amplifier for recording or live performance.
Additional Information (Optional)
Two Electrical Outlets
Table